Under The Radar
by malamuteblizzy
Summary: Clary Fray landed a job in a big magazine company, but her first big story is yet to come. The good stories always get given to her peers. When her manager hands her a file folder for the Lightwoods story, a family who likes the spotlight, what will come of it? Will she write the story she planned? Please R an R.
1. Chapter 1

**Hallmark's snow bride and mortal instruments mash-up, if i get some review i'll probably continue! I know I have a ton of stories, but one of them are getting the spark...if you know what I mean. Though new chapters will be up soon!I love everyone who views! And I don't own the Mortal instruments, even If i wish I did. **

**Enjoy(;**

Her computer was placed precariously on her lap, the blank page begging for her attention. But no hook came to mind, even when a story was fresh in her mind. She'd spent forever researching the subject, and gathering juicy details, but the story ended up being a dead end, nothing interesting. So here she was with an uninteresting story on her hands, her boss ready to look over her without a second glance.

She needed the position, the promotion that would allow some spending room, on top of her rent bill. She just wished she didn't have such a dreadful subject. Her boss just insisted she do the bad stories, and that never allowed her to prove herself. She was still a novice to him, Clary Fray, the beginner. And it frustrated her beyond words.

Papers were strewn across her lap, quotes and photographs featuring a middle aged man demanding publicity. She groaned in dread. This was going to be a difficult few paragraphs.

At least she had dinner with Simon to look forward to, her life long best friend, the only one who would listen to her. She had heard he was going out with someone new, and couldn't wait for details. Just when she was about to start sobbing, her boss sauntered into her office space, looking bewildered. His bushy eyebrows were pressed together, taunting.

"I have a new story for you, Fray." He said, and a piece of paper floated onto her desk.

"What...oh god did the Hanson's poodle get a shave again? Or better yet...did the Fitzgerald's finally get matching lumberjack outfits?" She spoke without thinking, and hoped her boss wouldn't smite her down, but when she said it she just thought about how mad she was.

"No...we've received reports about the Lightwood family...all want you on the case." He said.

"...The lightwoods have a dog?" she asked. He just shook his head with an irritated look.

"Do you want a chance or not? This is big news." He insisted.

"I can't just go and interview the Lightwoods." She said.

"Well think of a cover story and follow them around. Make sure to get pictures." He said, with a smug smile.

"I don't know..." She said

"You have till tomorrow to figure it out then." He said.

"Alright." she answered hesitantly.

Was this really happening? A story worth a bother?

* * *

Her hands wrapped around the steaming cup, and she hoped the warmth of the coffee cup might somehow bleed out into her whole body. Simon had yet to arrive, and she was beginning to wonder if he would show up or not. He'd never skipped their meeting before. Well, it might have been the way she had told him she didn't return his feelings a few weeks ago, something she thought he would have already forgiven her for. She slumped back in her seat, the cool air seemingly cutting in to her bones. After losing her brother and Father, she was going to lose Simon her best friend as well?

Just as she was going to get the bill, The door swung open, and a familiar figure stomped through the door, a flush painted across his cheekbones from the bitter cold. He wore a spreading grin as he made his way towards her, his back sraight and his eyes bright. What had brought on this new found confidence? He sat down across from her in the booth, his grin widening.

"So...what's up?" He said, more cheery than usual.

"Um...I got a new job chance...a really good juicy story on this celebrity family who's probably stuck up and...Ugh! I just don't know if I can do it. I don't think I can gather dirt on some people i don't know and post it worldwide! On the other hand, I can barely pay rent...while these people are probably spending two hundred grand a day...sitting on their couches watching themselves on TV while eating tortilla chips...with salsa...and rice and beans on the side!"

"Are you Hungry Fray?" Simon asked.

"What do you think though?" She said.

"What are we talking...the kardashians?" He asked.

"Well...not exactly...but close enough. One of the kids is constantly throwing herself at boys...and one of them seems full of himself...and the other one satys ut of the radar so...there might be something good there. But they're all celebrities." She said.

"Clary, you might not realize this right now. But these people probably have alot at stake here, and you're not considering all of the possibilities. I'm sure those people have alot going on...and not everything's black and white."

"I hate it when you're right." She said, stirring her coffee.

"I still think you should do the story, though." He said.

"What?" She said disbelievingly.

'"I know it seems contradictory, but you should. I don't want you to be living under a cardboard box your whole life. And it's your job." He said.

"Yeah...It's going to be good I can tell." She said.

"Yep." He answered, waving a waitress ordered his usual of hot chocolate.

"So what's put you in this happy mood?" She asked.

"Well...I got a girlfriend." He said.

"Well...I never thought I'd see the day." She said with a light tone, and he punched her in the arm lightly.

"She's really amazing, her name's Mariella, and she has long black hair...totally amazing." Simon said with a dreamy look in his eyes.

"You said amazing twice." She pointed out, a grin spread along across her features.

"I know." He said, his smile infectious.

"Well, I'm happy for you." She said.

"Thanks Fray." He said.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later, I've got to go get a story!" She said with mock enthusiasm.

"Good Luck. It's a battle field out there."


	2. Chapter 2

Clary could almost see the bags under her eyes, even if a mirror wasn't inspecting the scene. She had pulled her hair up in a lose bun, and strands of hair tickled her face, and she brushed her misbehaving locks behind one ear. Clary opened the door to the building where she anticipated the I knew you'd say yes look and more sighing on her boss's part. At least she had a chance to prove herself now. The promotion would grant her enough money to live comfortably, and besides, the lightwoods were quite full of themselves she thought, just a stuck up bunch of spoiled kids who never had to skip a meal or await the next paycheck. They just stood around and looked pretty, and pulling stunts for the cameras, the family just begged for attention. And attention she was going to give. It was time to figure out a plan to gather dirt on the lightwoods.

But that just sounded really horrible. So she decided she was merely exposing the truth to the public, and saw herself as the lucky message communicating that this family was just as bad as she thought them to be. That sounded much more...nice.

As she'd suspected her boss did look smug, and he wagged his bony finger at her and demanded more or unemployment was in her future. And "I knew you'd make the right decision"was what he said, with his thin lips pulled tight, a look of superiority permanently tattooed his face. She just wished...she had another boss.

He handed her a folder of pictures and articles, and the white thing was so full papers , they threatened to spill forth and scatter on the floor. It had to be ...what? One or two pounds?

She juggled her coffee and the folder between her hands, and prayed a brown hot stain wasn't in her near future. Just like that, he shoved her out with no idea where the Lightwoods were, just instructions to find them and write a front page article to put the magazine back on the best seller lists. She threw the folder into the back seat, where it mingled with other art binders and unfinished work she had yet to do. She oped the black hole of her back east would be a little kinder today and not swallow up her information. She pressed on the gas pedal, and turned out her parking space, blowing a hair from her face.

So how was she going to get in with the lightwoods? They were rarely spotted anymore, except the youngest Isabelle, who lately had been spotted with a new mystery man, and it was all over the papers. She didn't really care about celebrity gossip despite her occupation, but she had heard people talking. She wondered who the girl was toying with this time?

She really would need to take a look at those files though, because her ideas and pictures of the lightwoods pretty much amounted to bobble heads with camera men surrounding them. She might not even recognize one of them if she were to meet them by chance in the supermarket or whatever.

The only thing she was sure of were there were three kids plus a mom and dad, the oldest being an actor along with the middle kid, who she had heard was adopted, but that could easily be just a rumor. The youngest was Isabelle who she heard of in the tabloids half as much as her brother, Jace. That boy was worse than the rest of his family, in that department. He was always out with girls, not as much as Isabelle was out with boys, but still. He flaunted his looks and his money, and the only thing she thought he must care about is his next big bucks, and how to impress his drooling fan club. She imagined a mob of girls trampling the superstar and smiled a little bit.

Sighing, she turned, and looked around her in shock. Um...where was she?

Surrounded by trees and bush, the only building in sight was a faraway gas station that looked ancient, it's open sign sagging and rusted. She looked desperately around for a street or highway or mile post sign, but saw nothing but an expanse of trees. Did she really just pay no attention whatsoever to where she was driving because she was so flipping obsessed with her newest story? She imagined Simon smiling, at her getting lost in her own world again. She slammed on the brakes, a lone car on the expanse of black highway. Squinting, she could barely see the line separating the two lanes and sighed. The sun was setting turning the sky into a mural painted with soft shades of orange, yellow and pink. How was she supposed to see in the dark visibility with fading headlights?

She had meant to get the problem fixed weeks ago, but lack of funds had delayed her somewhat. Why hadn't she made herself do it?

She drove a little farther out to the gas station, and cautiously walked over to the door, awaiting an attack from a feral monkey or goose...or something. But what awaited her was worse, a man whose face was almost entirely obscured by his facial hair, and who smelled of the worst rotting you could imagine, maybe at the same level as say...a zombie? And his clothes were stained with grease marks that matched those on his hair, and she doubted he'd showered lately. He looked at her with an unfriendly stare, and she shivered. He appeared to be reading some sort of magazine...and watching her very closely.

"Do you actually sell...um gas?" She asked, praying on some sort of one in a gazillion chance that they did. He snorted.

"Um...I think I got a half gallon some where in the back?" He said, with a gruff hoarse voice.

"Can you get it?" I asked mustering up the politest voice I could manage.

"If you got a hundred on you." He said, flipping another page of his magazine with his large thumbs. He wasn't a friendly guy...not that she'd expected him to take pity on her and just give her the gas, but she really could have paid, at regular price.

"I don't have a hundred bucks just laying around?" I said, a little harsher than I might have wanted.

"Then why are you at my shop?" He said, his lips twitching.

"I...I-I- can't afford that high of a price!" I almost yelled. My tank was pretty much at zero, thanks to my thoughtless stupidity.

"Too bad. Get out." He said forcefully, and I back away from the door, and sank to my knees, and as if the day could get worse, It started to rain, and when the thunder came, it sang a symphony with my tears.

I was in my car, moping when I should be trying to do something. Would my phone get reception closer to the freaky shop? Well,life was a risk. I stepped out from the door, my high shoes, which I'd worn for the "special" occasion sunk into the mud with each step, and when I hit a rock underneath me, my foot went out, the ground rattling the bones in my body as the impact send a shot of hot white fire up through my foot, and I might have imagined it, but there was a crunch. The heel was broken on the shoe, and my phone buzzed with the no reception icon. I sank into the dirt, the mud soaking my jeans and heels, mud staining the dress shirt. Guess I'd be wearing a tee to work. If I ever got to work.

Geeze,my stupidity was at it highest. How could this possibly have accelerated form a bad situation to so much worse in a matter of minutes? Grunting, I crawled to my car, which was also giving up it's warmth, and Tears fell from my eyes as I opened the door, and I bit down hard on my lip to try and redirect my suffering. Guess what?

It didn't work.

Another car pulled pass on the road, and I almost sobbed.

Please

Please

Please

stop.

A man stepped out from the car, and she couldn't see very well in the low visibility granted by the storm. As he neared, she realized he was very young, not more than two years older than herself. He walked over to her and held out his hand, and she felt warmth rise in her cheeks. Here she looked like an idiot with her legs wedged in thick mud, while prince charming came to the rescue.

"Hi." He said in a low voice.

"Um...thanks." she said.

"Why are you taking a bath in the mud?" He asked, and she had to crack a smile.

"Well, I'm out of gas and the guy sitting in there in his dumb warm shop won't sell a half gallon to me for less than a hundred dollars. So I came out here to check for better cell reception, and broke my shoe heel and maybe my actual foot. So how was your day?" She asked.

"Um..." He didn;t look sure how to answer. In the dim light, he looked to have blonde hair, and sh couldn't really tell what color his eyes were...light brown possibly?

"So...why are you still here?"I asked, more shivers shaking my shoulders and chilling me further.

"Do you want a ride somewhere?" He asked.

"I guess." She said.

"Um...where to then, or do you like chumming it up with the old grump in the shop you mentioned?" He asked.

"I think town, wherever that is. Wherever I can rent a room." She said.

"You can just have a room in my house, there's room. I'll just drive you into town tomorrow. Besides, you look pretty shaken." He said.

"Thanks. And you are?" She asked. He looked like he was debating to tell her his name or not.

"J" He finally said, after a long moment.

"Just J?" She said.

"yeah." He said.

"Are you trying to be mysterious?" She asked lightly.

"Oh yeah." He said walking towards her car.

"It's wedged in a pool of muck." He said, and her heart sank.

"shoot." She said, calculating her total take in amount after the loss of a few hundred dollars. Her paycheck was going to be measly.

"When we get to my place, I'll call a tow truck okay?" He said.

"Thanks." She said.

"And what's yours?" He asked.

"My..." She said, making a gesture that willed him to continue.

"Name." He clarified.

"Oh. Clary." She said.

"Well nice to meet you Ms. Clary." He said.


End file.
